Means for controlling and reversing vessels.



H. O. WESIENDAHP.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AND REVERSlNG VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED /\PR.25.19I. I

- Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

Inventor; O. Wesbendarp 0. WESTENDARP.

MEANS FOR CONTPOLLING AND REVERSING VESSE APPLlCATlGN FHQED APFLZL'I. I917.

Patntcd Feb. 19.12%.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. 3).

I'm/enter. Henry 0. \Nesbenda 1:

UNITED STATES. PAEENT ham: w

smnpenr, v rm SAUGUS, messeentrsn'r'rs, essla non 'ro GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, e'conronm'mu' OFNEW'YOBI.

MEANS FORLCONTROLLING AND IBEVERSING VESSELB.

Specification 0t Letters Pafent. Pafgntedjjgh,;i19i1918 Application fi1ei Apr i 125,1917- seem No. 164,499. 4

wkbih imay 0mm; i' v H N Y O. 'WESTEN-- he Unitedfitatei residing nary pm hlnge. "The-spindle 16 and sleeve 18 together fqrm the lfuddeipppsth 'Atjaofh of Essex, State pf ntedlceffi'xin new hi Means for Gon- V "sels, {afiwhi'chthe as indicated at 23,.an'd t6 thejlats. 13' and 14, as indicated at 2 4 and VVheIfi the ni'ention, 'attentigpiS 'd P Omn'anymg specltxcatlon,

l 11d i v dmv ging's :wh'ichere ntio Figure 1 1519. fielevatipn of'the stern portion uippedwith one forlirofmy g. 213 atop pl an S a i w similar. to

' the deck, of wes l end termipa rudder is folded 1115011 e911gipe sed: ge shown in Fig; 1, plates 20 and 21 liefiigit' ag ainsl; each other andformto bQttomflextn sions of the rudder; hen -th ,11jd jder is opened up;asshownin--Fig=-2 pletesQO-and 1 21 mp a dr ttemi lls-lq j he b l s:

ing o r receptaele. The spindle 1611s ljsup- '0 I ported att'tts Lowe lend byay suitable'bearing 26-carried by an arm 27. whiehi'fpi vbted at 27 to'move in a; Vertical'plane 'qni'n' ktlension 28 of the keel plate] The spindle/ 16 'ahd-sleevelS', whichtogether for he-lfudi I def PQ$ fXt nd i al l W mn ahcv fithin a V portion of the 1 being. breke'n away to'fshjow 4 is a. horizontal sec vessel-showing a geaiing g, 5" is ese'ctional-"view Of a bevel,. gear Wheel} ea n ied y itable motive mbustiefr en- "The: r d er ied byfa steerthe outer end. 0 f?1',0d"35 S1 s; a'nner; j Eor decreasessel; sto pmg undre- .leasuble lqtch-AOL ACE ihdi'celtes" the" dosed by a hover-29?: Caflfied' 29 is a Sleeve 30 whichi fopme bearing fo'r the upper ends ffsibili 66851115 g i 'de'en 1am and,

s1eeve"18. Locatediin-casing 29fis a1, bevel gear wheel 31eaniiedrby'sleev 1'8 and; a

I ridle: l6

P v and meshing with these gea heelslaretwo similar gee?wheels eafiem 4-;3'1he- "ear wheel 33-is=fastened on-the end- 0f a 'ro on the-end 4 Bod-35 and "sleeve '36 ate .slipp'orted "i a: bearing s1e'eve'37 on casing '29 On the outeeendfof and the gear wheel 34 is fasten 'nectedfothesteerin i e Sm b re;

v:hahdle rudder a-1 e"exextent to form a. s also adapted to] er either by moving the ope11fe'r, m0vi1'1g the epeptacle Q: both-- twb rectangular side heplate 13 1112155 spaced a1 spindle lfi ahtl' are adapted t6 He moved iii a yeti:

'on' pivot I vided, connected by-a link 42Tt-i hejs1eeve 30, The lever moves m en ment'43 a latch 44 which elfl%'age su t blei the segment.-.-- Ihfe s fable guide 302 I 'so'thajt'fth'e plate 'i The-plate 14 ison o a sleeVe lS con- *Ifland is sfipporfed nv eye'1'9 which 1 5 se 'y ma the e pres 'ntinst ee. bi h w ae' s nkf n" theftdpni milder Showgirl? as being partially balanced by a suitable plate 46 pivoted on spindle 16 by means of spaced eyes 47 which surround the spindle. To maintain the plate 16 in alinement with the rudder it is provided withextensions or arms 48 which are located between the plates 13 and 14. When the rudder is collapsed plates 13 and 1a engage between them the extensions or arms 48 so that plate 4-6 moves with them, thus partially balancing the rudder in the well known manner. In the ordinary forward operation of the vessel, the rudder is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 1, and the various parts are in the full line position. The handle 39 is latched to the steeringw-heel 38 by latch 40. Now,

when the steering wheel is turned, the han-..

dle 39 moves with it so that rod 35 and sleeve 36, and consequi-antly gear wheels 33 and 34 move together as a unit. This will turn gear wheels 32 and 31 and the spindle l6 and sleeve 18 as a unit and in the same direction to move the rudder for guiding the vessel, as is well understood. Under these conditions the spindle .16 and sleeve 18 act as a rudder post which is turned through the gearing by the steering wheel 38.

When it is desired to stop the vessel or reverse its direction of movement, the latch is released by lever 40, and the handle 39 is turned in a clockwise direction, the steering wheel 38 being simultaneously turned in an' anticlockwise. direction. This turns gear wheels 33 and 34 in opposite directions and hence gear wheels 32 and 31 which mesh therewith. Turning gear wheels 32 and 31 and 14 form the si in opposite directions results in turning spindle 16 and sleeve 18 in opposite directions and opening up moreor less the parts of the rudder to form a triangular shaped receptacle (see Fi 2) of which plates 13 (iii wa ls and plates 20 and 21 the top and bottom walls. The Water now thrown off from the propeller, which remains in operation, enters to a greater or less extent the receptacle so formed and tends-to retard the vessel. The retardation effect can be varied by varying the ammint by which the plates 13 and 14 are separated, and is due to the fact that a certain amount of the water, instead of escaping freely from the propeller is caught in the receptacle and forced to reverse its direction and flow forward. The reaction due to this tends to move the vessel backward. effect increases as the rudderis opened up. To obtain the greatest reaction; in, for propelling the vessel backward at the highest speed, the rudder, after being opened up, and the propeller are moved toward each other so as to bring the propeller up to or within the receptacle formed by the rudder.

This reaction able fore and aft toward and away from the propeller, it is stationary, and the propeller is moved toward and away from it. 50 indi cates the rudder which may be of the same structure as that shown in Figs. 1 and2 and operated and opened up in the same manner by means of steering Wheel 51 and hand lever 52. 53 indicates the propeller carried by a shaft 54 which in the present instance is shown as being driven by a suitable prime mover 55 through a double reduction gearing. The shaft 54. is connected to the gearing by a suitable coupling which permits it to be slid longitudinally. This forms in substance a sliding coupling between the prime mover 55 andthe shaft which permits the shaft to be moved without being disconnected from the prime mover. In the present instance the prime mover 55 drives a high speed pinion 56 which in turn drives a pan of gear wheels 57 on countershafts 58.

On each countershaft 58 is a low speed pinion 59 which, while it turns with the shaft, may be moved longitudinally thereof.

are openings through which the countcrshafts 58 pass. The pinions-59 are located between adjacent ends 64 and such ends are held in spaced relation to each other by U- shuped bars 65,-thus spacing apart the cross bars 63. 66 are suitable bearings in the cross bars 63 for the shaft which carries gear wheel 62. The openings in. the cnds'of cross. bars 63 are sufliciently large that the frame as a. whole may be slid back and forth on countershafts 58 carrying with it gear wheel 62 and pinions 59. 67 is an operating handle for moving the frame. It is suitably pivoted at 68 and is fastened to the frameas indicated at 69 by a suitable pin and slot connection to give it freedom of movement. Any suitable means may be rovidcd for holding the operating handle 6 in adjusted position.

The operation is the same as that already described iin connection with Figs. 1 and 2.. In retarding or reversing the direction of moycmcnt of the vessel the rudder 50 is first opened up after which the handle 67 15 I slides on moved to bring the propeller toward the rudder. When the handle 67 is moved the frame comprising cross bars 63 and bars 65 58 carrying with it countershafts gear Wheel 62 and low speed pinions 59.

he gearing may be of an suitable type. y

In the present instance t ie high speed pinion 56 and gear wheels 57 are shown as being of the herring-bone type and the others as having straight teeth.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent sta tutes, I have described the prin ciple of operation of m I invention, together with the apparatus which'I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

"What 'I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1.- In a vessel, the combination of a hull, a propeller therefor, a rudder comprising a plurality of plates hinged to each other and normally flat in engagement with each other,

and means for moving said plates to form a receptacle closed on its top, bottom, and sides, and having an open end which faces the propeller.

2. In a vessel, the combination of a hull, a propeller therefor, a propeller shaft, a rudder comprising hinged at one vertical edge; top and bottom plates hinged to the tops and bottoms of the first namedplates, said plates. adapted to lie llat in engagement with each other during normal forward operation, and n eans'lor expanding said plates to form a receptacle having an "open side facing the propeller.

3. In a vessel, the comhinatioirof a hull, a propeller therefor, a rudder comprising a plurality of members adapted to be ex pandcd into'a receptacle, and means for moving the rudderand propeller fore and aft relative to (nob other when said members are expand d.

normally flat in enga propeller, and means for mo a pair of fiat plates- 4. In a vessel, the combination of a hull, a propeller therefor, a rudder comprising a. plurality of plates hinged to each other and ement with each other, means for moving said plates to n' a receptacle closed on its top, bottomfiand sides, and having an open end which faces the ing the rudder and propeller relative to each other to vary the distance between them.

5. In a vessel, the combination of a, hull, a propellertherefor, a propeller shaft, a rudder comprising a pair of flat plates hinged at one vertical edge, to and bottom plates hinged to the tops an bottoms of the first named plates, said plates adapted to lie flat in engagement with each other during-normal forward operation, means for expand ing said plates to form a receptacle having an open side facing the propeller, and means for moving the rudder toward the propeller.

6. In a vessel, the combination of a hull, a propeller therefor in the same direction, a rudder post ,com prising two adjacent members, a rudder comprising vertical plates one fixed to each member of the rudder post, means for turning the two members of the rudder post to move the rudder plates simultaneously in the same direction, or in opposite directions, and means for moving the rudder and pro peller toward and away from each other. J

7. In a'vessel, the combination ofa hull, a propeller therefor, at its lower end to m-ve longitudinally of the vessel, said rudder post comprising two members, a rudder comprising two vertical plates one tasteni'al to each member of the rudder post, means for turning the two members of the rudder post to move said rudder plates either in the same direction or in opposite directions, and means formoving the Hidden post on its pivot to move the rudder toward the propeller.

It witness whereof, I have hereunto. set my hand this 23rd day of April, 1917.

HENRY O. WESTENDARP.

a rudder post pivoted 

